The Cotton Ball Confusion
by SergeantFuzzyBoots
Summary: Wrote this for an LJ challenge.  Sheldon receives a package and is very excited about it.


**I wrote this for using a prompt from an LJ Challenge. **

**The prompt was: **Your Character: Sheldon Cooper  
>Your Location: Caltech Cafeteria<br>Your Three items: Cotton Balls, Pokeball, iPod

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

Sheldon hurriedly made his way to the university cafeteria, clutching a small box tightly to his chest. After weeks of waiting, it had finally arrived. Granted, having the package delivered right before lunch caused a slight rift in his daily routine, but he could make an exception just this once, and spend the majority of his break admiring the contents of the box instead of using the full hour to eat and digest his lunch properly.

The theoretical physicist reached the cafeteria and then sat down at the table occupied by Leonard, Howard, and Raj. He gave them all an excited smile as he put the box down on the table.

"Hey, Sheldon," said Leonard. His greeting was followed by a nod from Howard and a wave from Raj.

Sheldon's grin lessened. No one had commented on the box yet. He'd specifically placed it on the table to ensure that his friends would be interested; however, none of them had even so much as looked at the package.

"I received a package a few moments ago," he said, doing his best to stay casual. He tapped the box with his finger when his friends still refused to look at it. "Anybody want to know what's in it?"

Howard frowned, pretending to think. "Um...nope. I'm good." Leonard and Raj nodded in agreement.

Sheldon's gaze flickered between the three of them for a moment, trying to keep his eye from twitching. They were being rather silly, not wanting to know what wonderful object was encased in the cardboard. Really, had they known what was in there, they would be sorry they hadn't wanted to know. "Alright, I'll tell you!" Sheldon sighed, placing his hands on the box. His friends smirked at each other. "This box," he continued. "Contains a Pokeball which holds the legendary Zapdos Pokemon!"

Once again, Sheldon did not receive the reaction he'd been hoping for. His friends merely frowned and glanced at each other, looking confused.

"You collect Pokemon?" Leonard asked, cocking his head.

"Oh, yes!" Sheldon replied, nodding vigorously. "When I was younger, I was an avid viewer of the anime and quickly began collecting cards and Pokeballs."

"How come we've never seen any of that stuff in your apartment?" Raj asked.

"I've stashed them away in my bedroom back in Texas with my sonic death ray where they'll be safe." Sheldon ignored the incredulous looks from his friends and forged on. "I recently order this Pokeball online. It holds Zapdos, one of the few Pokemon missing from my collection."

In a flash, Sheldon began tearing at the box, making his way through cardboard and tissue paper until his hand closed around the Pokeball. He brought it to eye level and admired it for a moment before looking away to fish his iPod out of his pocket.

"What do you need your iPod for?" Howard asked, looking wary.

Sheldon looked at the engineer as though he was crazy. "You didn't think I was actually going to open this without the iconic Pokemon theme song playing, did you?"

"Of course not," Leonard sighed, bringing a hand to his forehead. "We just didn't think you'd do it in the cafeteria with a bunch of people watching."

The theoretical physicist ignored this comment and turned the volume up to maximum on his iPod so the theme song could be heard blasting from the headphones. Hands shaking, he carefully pressed down on the Pokeball and opened it. About a dozen, white, fluffy cotton balls flew out of the Pokeball, falling onto the table and into Sheldon's lap.

Sheldon stared at the now empty Pokeball, transfixed. Where was his legendary Zapdos? An eruption of obnoxious laughter coming from a few tables over brought Sheldon out of his frozen horror. He looked up and saw Kripke bent over the table with laughter.

Sheldon clenched his fists in fury. "Kripke!" he shouted. At that moment, more than ever, the theoretical physicist wished that he had a real Zapdos. Then, he could send his Pokemon over and zap Kripke with lightening. Sadly, he had no Zapdos, and would have to settle for shouting at his foe, and perhaps a scathing email describing what a 'stupid head' that man was.


End file.
